


The Language of Time

by jesterlady



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-03
Updated: 2011-10-03
Packaged: 2017-10-24 06:30:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/260171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterlady/pseuds/jesterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Willow and Oz are having difficulty finding time to spend together in the perilous world of Sunnydale</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Language of Time

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS.

“You really are pretty adorable,” Oz commented as he pulled her closer towards him. Willow blushed.

“Really? Well, I guess adorable is all relative and I know you’re my boyfriend and I think I read somewhere that it was pretty much  
obligatory to say that.”

“I’m not a book,” he told her. “Just flesh and blood, speaking.”

“I can see that,” she said, blushing even more. He smiled softly and led her closer to the stacks of books to give them more privacy  
from the others researching at the table below.

“This is sorta cool, isn’t it?” she asked, a few minutes later. “The lighting makes it all secretive and fun.”

“Actually, I think it’s you,” he said and leaned in to kiss her again. A well timed cough interrupted them and Willow jumped guiltily,  
while Oz simply straightened up. Giles stood there, looking slightly embarrassed himself.

“Ah, Willow, Oz,” he said as if he’d met them on the street somewhere after having not seen them for a few years. “Great to find you  
both looking well. We do need a few more hands researching the Bolgarush demon if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” Willow piped up. “Researching is what we do.”

“Oz, if you’d like to come with me into my office,” Giles asked, “I think you could be of valuable import in my research.”

“Sure thing,” Oz said, giving Willow’s hand a squeeze before going with Giles.

Willow sighed, looking after him. She loved him so much and she loved her life as a demon hunter…fighter…witch…okay, sidekick, but she  
really wished they had more time together. It seemed like every time they wanted to be together, some new demon had to attack or people got possessed or everybody started singing and dancing.

“Perky, perky Hellmouth,” she muttered under her breath before hastily going to do her share of the research before Buffy ate all the jelly donuts.

***

To her delight, when Willow exited her Anthropology class, she noticed her favorite werewolf boyfriend waiting for her.

“Hey,” she said, “I thought you had band practice.”

“We decided learning the G chord was overrated,” he said. “I thought I’d come find you. See what you wanted to do later.”

“Well, I think it would be great if we had some time together, you know?” Willow suggested hopefully. She really wanted to be with  
just him.

“Sounds perfect,” he said. “Remember that book you’re so anxious for me to read? Why don’t we do it together?”

“I like that idea. Pure genius,” she answered excitedly.

“Yeah, be nice to read with you when I’m not out of my mind and hairy,” he commented, linking their hands. They walked down the hall  
together chatting about this and that. Willow stopped for a drink, and was then pulled up for a kiss. She grinned inwardly, reflecting that  
if she were to grin outwardly it would probably be hard to kiss well.

“H-hey guys,” interrupted a timid voice. They turned around and said hello to Tara and Buffy who had walked up behind them.

“You guys got any big plans?” Buffy asked. “The gang’s going out Bronzing it.”

“We’re staying in tonight,” Willow announced proudly. “Reading.”

“Sounds like fun,” Tara put in. “That’s what I would want to do tonight too. I feel like curling up with a kitten and some tea.”

Buffy chuckled a little and Willow blushed.

“Don’t know if that’s exactly what they had in mind, Tara.”

“I know,” Tara said, flashing one of her rare grins, “but I wasn’t going to be the one to say it.” Willow grasped hold of Oz and  
practically dragged him in the opposite direction.

“See you later, guys! Have fun tonight.”

“You too,” Tara and Buffy called out mischievously.

“My next class is in an hour,” Willow said. “Do you wanna grab a drink?”

“Love to,” Oz said, “but I told Giles I’d help him at the library. I need to be there soon. But tonight, Will, tonight is ours.”

“You know it,” she said, kissing him goodbye.

***

Willow unlocked the door of her apartment and found Oz standing on the outside. She’d cleaned up that afternoon and so could invite him in without dying of shame. She’d also created a nice atmosphere, if she did say so herself, with candles and comfy blankets on her sofa.

“Nice job, Will,” he told her. “Dangerous though, someone could feel at home here.”

“That’s the point, silly,” she said, taking his jacket and placing it on her entryway table. Well, what she called her entryway  
table. Somehow, considering it was dangerously bordering on the living room, she supposed it was stupid, but she liked to anyway.

“Do you want anything to drink?” she asked him. “I’ve got tea, cocoa, juice…”

“I’ll think of something later,” he said.

“Okay,” she said and they sat down and settled on the sofa. She switched on a reading lamp and spread the blankets around the two of  
them. She lay with her back to his chest.

“So who’s reading?” he asked. “We could toss for it.”

“All right,” she agreed. “You got a quarter?”

“I’ve got a pick,” he replied, digging in his pocket. “Call it, logo side, non logo side.”

“Logo side,” she said, giggling at the absurdity. Oz tossed it in the air and they both laughed over the way it fluttered to the floor. He leaned over and picked it up.

“Logo side it is,” he said. “You read.”

“Wait, I don’t think that’s the way it works,” she protested. “That means I get to choose!”

“Maybe with human rules,” he said mildly. She swatted him and he gave her a look.  
“Not that look,” she warned him, ignoring little flutters in her stomach. “That look leads to places that will not involve reading.”

“So read,” he said, giving her the book and kissing her cheek. She smiled and leaned back against him and began to read. His arms  
framed her sides and his chin rested on the top of her head. While she read, Willow thought about what a good picture it would make and she  
only wished someone were around to take it.

A knock sounded on the door.

“I didn’t mean it!” Willow cried out. “It was in my head.” Oz looked like he didn't quite know what to make of that.

“Well, again, unpredictability is not a bad thing,” he commented, rising to get the door.

“Buffy, Xander,” he said as they appeared behind the open door.

“Hey, Will, Oz,” Xander said. “Don’t you two look all with the cozy?”

“We were,” Willow said pointedly. “What’s going on?”

“Sorry to bust in,” Buffy said apologetically, “but we could really use your help. We were on our way to the Bronze when Giles showed  
up, dripping all over with slime.”

“I got Polaroids,” Xander assured them.

“Apparently,” Buffy said and stifled a giggle, “these slime demons were terrorizing the Espresso Stop and Giles got caught in the cross  
fire. But he says we need some more witchy stuff before we can immobilize them enough for me to kill them. Will you come? We’ll make it up  
later, promise!”

Willow sighed, but she was already off the couch and into her shoes, while Oz helped her on with her jacket.

“We’re the ever-ready, Buff,” she said and led the way out the door.

***

A few days after the slime demon incident, Willow was sitting in one of the lounge areas at the campus. In theory she was doing homework, and even though that was one of her favorite activities, she was strangely distracted and wanted to figure out why. Nothing was too terrible. Though the Hellmouth loomed ever below, there was no Big Bad on the horizon. She was doing well in all her classes and all of her friends were okay. She had Oz. But there, there, something seemed to be less than desirable. She loved him, had fun with him, couldn’t get enough of him and he seemed to reciprocate all of these feelings. But for some reason they just were never together.

“Why we haven’t been on a date in a month!” she exclaimed loudly to her textbooks.

“Didn’t realize you were the two-timing sort,” said the object of her frustration as he leaned over his rival, i.e. the textbooks, to kiss her. “I won’t have to fight for her, will I?” Oz addressed them next.

“Don’t be weird,” she told him. “That’s my job.”

“Does it pay well?” he inquired dryly. Willow turned away in mock annoyance as Oz sat down next to her.

“What’s got the clouds out?” he asked.

“I miss you,” she said. “We get stolen moments in time, that’s it! I wish we could be together, more than just five minutes here and  
there before some demon has to kill someone, Buffy needs magic help or I have a test or you have to help Giles eternally.”

A few girls gave them odd looks as they overheard Willow’s rant. They were unseen, however, and she continued, undaunted.

“I bet that’s where you have to run off to now. I wouldn’t be surprised if you started wearing tweed.” Oz listened to all of this and  
then took her hands.

“Actually, was just there, won’t be back till later. For the other charge, well, Devon’s not a big fan of tweed, so I’m putting it off  
until I can talk him into it. Maybe with the band logo stitched on the lapel.” Willow smiled and leaned into his shoulder.

“Sorry. I know you’re here now for me.”

“Always,” he replied, kissing the top of her head.

“Oh no!” Willow moaned, trying to hit her head with her textbook before Oz stopped her.

“I didn’t realize the two of you had gotten that far,” he commented before looking up to see what she’d really noticed.

Buffy. And Spike. They were arguing fiercely and hadn’t seen their friends on the couch just yet.

“Maybe if we sneak away really quietly…” Willow suggested. But before the plan could be put into action, Buffy had spotted them.

“Will!” she weaved her way towards the couch. “Hey, Oz. Listen, could you give us a hand? The brilliantly fried one decided to lose  
our trail on a vamp we were hunting.”

“Bollocks, Slayer!” Spike growled at her. “You’re the one with the 'Chosen One' senses. Find it yourself or go get Broody Lunks to do  
it for you.”

“Maybe I would, but he’s out with Cordelia at the moment,” Buffy snapped back.

“So instead of you having to break a nail, it’s my job?” he questioned sarcastically.

“Cut it out!” Willow hissed. “You’re making a scene and making me angry!”

They instantly stopped, both a little sheepish.

“Sorry,” Buffy said. “We’re tracking a vamp and we think it came in here. Wanna help us blend a little until I can find it again?”

“Sure,” Willow sighed. “What do you want?”

“Blend-y activities?” Buffy suggested. “What do people do at college again? I forget.”

“Talk, study, shoot pool, play foosball, eat…” Willow threw out random things as they entered her mind.

“Ooh, let’s play foosball,” Buffy said excitedly. “I used to be really good.”

“I’m sure the enhanced muscles don’t hurt either,” Oz remarked as they made their way over to the foosball table which was currently  
occupied.

“Let us play, please?” Buffy asked nicely.

“Wait your turn, woman!” some burly male replied. Buffy looked at Spike, a little annoyed look on her face. He smiled and tapped the  
burly male on the shoulder. The man turned around and Spike flashed him a toothy grin, complete with yellow eyes and bumpy forehead and the  
man trembled and ran, along with the rest of his foosball playing companions.

“I’m not sure that was fair,” Willow said. “But no vamp or Slayer strength in the game, k?”

“Course not,” Buffy replied, looking innocent. Willow just raised her eyebrows and took her place at the table. She played forward while Oz took goalie. Buffy was opposite her and Spike played goalie at the other end.

The game was fun, Willow had to admit that. Pretty soon, she was so caught up she almost forgot they were supposed to be tracking  
vampires.

Spike caught the ball and with a strength that hinted a little too much of vamp to her, shot it down toward her goal. Oz miraculously  
blocked the shot and sent it back and excellent reflexes caused Spike to block the shot. But there was a little too much strength in the block  
and the ball deflected off the foosball man and headed straight for Buffy’s face. With a casual reflex, she lifted her left hand and caught  
the ball, two inches from her eye.

“Wow!” came a voice from behind her. “I bet you taste good.”

“I was looking for you,” Buffy told the vampire. “But now you’ve interrupted my game and I’m cranky.” She pulled out a stake and he  
was dust before he could reply. Buffy turned back to the game, obviously ready for round two, but found Willow going back to her bag.

“Where are you going? I want to finish now.”

“Sorry, Buffy, I have class.” Buffy turned hopefully to Oz and Spike, but found negatives there as well.

“Band practice.”

“Passions.”

***

Willow breathed in deeply. Somehow, she knew that everything was going to be fine tonight. She and Oz wouldn’t have any problems, no interruptions, and they could finally go on a date, by themselves, for the whole night.

It was a beautiful night and the two of them exited the theatre, talking about the movie she had been waiting to see. So far, no one had come to find them and she believed Oz had purposefully not told anyone where they were. She adored him for that.

“So, what are we doing next?” she inquired.

“Some stuff,” was his enigmatic response. She rolled her eyes and they continued down the street hand in hand.

“I wanted to be with you tonight,” she told him. “I really miss you.”

“I know,” he answered. “That’s why I wanted to do this.”

“What?” she asked. He stopped walking and turned to face her.

“You know that time when you did that thing with Xander we don’t talk about and then you did the whole Barry atmosphere thing?” he  
asked her.

She nodded. Not the proudest moment of her life, but that night between the two of them had been nice, if a little awkward.

“You tried to and did something really special for me that night,” he said. “I wanted to try and do the same for you. So close your  
eyes, do the whole surprise thing.” She closed her eyes eagerly.

He led her a few paces down the street and then stopped in front of a flower shop and had her open her eyes. The roses in the front  
display were so beautiful. She wondered if he was going to buy some for her. She was so focused on the roses that when a slight swell of  
magical energy happened beside her, she was so shocked she jumped and wondered who was there. But when she turned to look, all she saw was Oz  
who was looking at the flower displays with his hand outstretched. A few yards away from his hand was one perfect rose with a sunrise burst at  
its center, floating gracefully through the air and landing in his hand.

Willow stared at him in surprise.

“Where’d you learn to do that?”

“Giles,” he said simply. Her eyes opened wide in comprehension.

“That’s why you’ve been helping him so much lately.”

“I’m sorry I was working so hard,” he said, taking her hand with his free one, “but I wanted to share in your world.” Opening her  
palm, he placed the rose in it and kissed her upturned face.

Pulling back, Willow laughed and then attacked him with force. He stumbled a little under the impact and grinned.

“Adorable,” he murmured against her lips. She wrapped her arms around him and held the rose carefully even as she showed him her  
appreciation and love.

“Did you just steal that rose?” She pulled back suddenly in horror. “I know I’m getting more and more reckless, but maybe that would  
be going a little too far!” He grinned.

“It’s taken care of,” he assured her and nodded to the grinning flower lady who waved at the two of them. Willow waved back shyly and  
Oz grasped her hand and led her away.

“We’ll always have to steal moments like this, won’t we?” she commented.

“We could run away,” he suggested.

“Tempting, but probably definitely unwise,” she said. “I guess that’s why they call it quality time. Not just time, but time that is  
qualified in some way as better than other time.”

“I think you’re pretty much always quality time, Will,” Oz told her as he pulled her in closer for another kiss. Willow clasped her rose and her boyfriend and considered that he was right, at least this time, which was definitely some of the most quality time she’d ever encountered.


End file.
